Coiffure protectors



Nov. 7, 1967 R. G. GREGG COIFFURE PROTECTORS Filed NOW?. 25, 1966 FIG. 4

FIG.3

FIG. I

INVET'OR BY ma@ Richard G. GreA FIC-3.2

United States Patent Oiice '3,351,673 Patented Nov. 7, 1967 3,351,073 CIFFURE PROTECTORS Richard G. Gregg, Highway 231, Meridianville,Ala. 35759 Filed Nov. 2S, 1966, Ser. No. 597,122 3 Claims. (Cl. 132-46) A coifiure protector adapted to be worn around a womans head consisting of a basic support in the form of a tirst band of thin flexible foam material and a secondary support in the form of an upper band of soft cloth net material. The upper band is attached to the upper (as worn) side of the rst band. Velcro tabs are attached to two narrow end regions of the first or lower band and they adjustably hold the protector in place.

This invention relates to the iield of beauty aids and more particularly to devices for protecting ladies hair styles from becoming disarranged, particularly while sleeping or reclining.

As is well known a great deal of time and expense goes into the styling arrangement of a ladys hair. Typically this is accomplished by weekly trips to a beauty salon. The difliculty, obviously, is to maintain in reasonably good order the last hairdo until it is time for the next one. The hair is, of course, easily undone when disturbed and it is almost impossible to prevent substantial displacement and disarray of the hair when ones head is supported by, for example, a bed, pillow, or other head rest.

In the past a number of devices have been employed in an endeavor to remedy the problem. Some of them are of the homemade variety and include pinning or tying towels, tissue paper, cloths, or nets about and enclosing the head. Others, of the commercial variety, include bands of generally elastic material, Patent 1,897,146; a band of elastic ribbon, Patent 1,626,433; bands of foam rubber, Patent 2,700,977; a wire frame supporting au elastic material, Patent 2,174,263; and a relatively stiif screen wire like mesh wrap-around hairdo protector, advertised in Sunset House Catalog, 1966, at p. 110.

The diculty with towels, tissue paper, cloths, and nets, etc. enclosing the head is basically that they have been found to crush a hairdo because-of the overall contact and pressure.' Elastic bands and ribbons have proven ineffective and unacceptable primarily because modern hairdos extend upwards of eight inches above the ears and the hair tends to spill over such devices and thus providing no substantial protection. Further, if they were made wider than as shown, for example in Patents 1,897,- 146, 1,626,433, they would not be flexible enough to follow the delicate contours of the upper portion of the hair. Similar difficulties exist in the case of the wire frame supported elastic material type bands as illustrated in Patent 2,700,977 in that they are incapable of providing the different degrees of support required and where needed. The same thing can be said for the screen wire like mesh type wrap-around hairdo protector referred to above in that it tends to slip from position and to crush the upper portion of the hairdo. The latter is particularly true in the case of this deviceinasmuch as the shape of the forehead is such that the front of the wrap-around hairdo protector tends to tilt back in front and crush the front of the hairdo which is the portion of the hairdo which is, of course, most observed. This has been found to be the case despite its slightly conical design. Further, tests indicate that such devices have a low comfort factor.

lt is the object of the present invention to overcome the difficulties of the prior types of protective devices and to provide a comfortable, long-lasting, and efficient coiffure saver or protector.

In accordance with the invention, an encircling coiffure or hair style protector is constructed of a generally rectangular, band of porous elastic material as a basic support member. A secondary support member substantially thinner than the basic support member and of soft, thin, flexible, but self supporting, net cloth or other porous or open weave material is attached to a top edge of the Ibasic support member, End portions of the basic member are reduced in width by cutting out a bottom portion to uncover the eyes and nose and by cutting out a top portion to completely free a ladys bangs `and frontal portion from any supporting contact, even from the protector. Fasteners adapted to vary the length of the protector are attached to each opposite end to permit the protector to be adjustably lit around ones head.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description when considered together with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevation view of the embodiment of the invention set forth in FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the lines 3-3 of FIG. 2; and l FIG. 4 is a front view of an embodiment of the invention as actually Worn.

Referring now to the drawings, the basic supporting member or band 10 of coiffure protector 11 is constructed of a porous, low density, and flexible foam material such as a plastic foam of polyurethane ester or polyurethane ether. Band 10 is generally elongated and rectangular in configuration with the overall length dimension suficient to go around with, some overlap, most heads. A length of approximately twenty-four inches (24) has been found to be about optimum. The rectangular shape of band 1li is modified by the removal of generally rectangular portions from each corner. The removed rectangular portions have length and width dimensions of the same direction as `band 1l). The length dimensions of the removed upper corner rectangular portions are smaller than the length dimensions of the removed lower corner portions and the width dimensions of the removed upper corner rectangular portions are greater than the width dimensions of the removed lower corner rectangular portions. Since band 1t) is generally worn longitudinally all length dimensions may be considered horizontal dimensions and all width dimensions considered vertical dimensions. In use the band does tilt downward to the rear. Top cut-out portions 12 and 14 of one and onehalf inches (l1/2") to four and one-half inches (4u/2") each in length leave a free area above the forehead 16 to leave untouched a ladys bangs, and bottom cut-out portions 18 and 20 of four and three-fourths inches (4%) to nine inches (9) each in length serve to uncover a ladys eyes and bridge of her nose. The length dimensions of each of the cut-out portions are in the same direction as the length dimensions of band 10, with length dimensions of each bottom cut-out portion being greater than the length dimension of each upper cut-out portion. The width of the bottom cut-out portions are in the approximate range of one-half (1/2) to one and one-half (l1/2) inches and smaller than the width of the top cut-out portions. The overall length of band 1t? is approximately six times the width of band 1t) in the region between lower cut-out regions. This still gives a substantial width of material for band 10,. typically three (3) to live (5) inches and thus it provides a substantial overall support with very light pressure on the head. It has been discovered that reduced width for band 10, particularly below two inches (2) results in too little support at tensions which the band will positively remain in position without noticeable indentation and some discomfort.

lt has been found that by employing one of the plastic foam materials referred to above with a density range of 1.1 to 1.6 pounds per square foot and with a thickness in the approximate range of one eight (Ms) to one-quarter (1A) inch that an optimum relationship can be obtained between comfort and durability. Of the two foam inaterials, the polyurethane ester foam is generally preferred because of its better elasticity. However, because of its availability in lower density ranges the polyurethane ether is an excellent material for constructing the protector especially for warm or hot weather usage where greater air circulation is desired through the material. By using relatively thin foams in the range of thickness described, excellent support can be achieved without discomfort. Efforts in the past to use thicker and nonor less porous materials have failed to obtain any substantial acceptance.

Band performs two important functions. First, it holds in place, with a relatively firm but gentle force, the lower portion of the hair which is generally more thickly arranged in most hair styles than the upper portion. Second, band 1t) provides a base support for a soft, flexible net band 22 which is elongated in configuration and attached on and to, or near, the top edge 23 of band 10 between cut-out portions 12 and 14.

A significant feature of this invention is that net band 22 picks up the support of a hairdress where the body of the hair is less thickly arranged and provides a gentle but sufficiently protective enclosure to retain but not compress the upper coiffure. The enclosure is an encircling one rather than one that totally encloses, it fitting around the front, sides and back of the head. Net band 22 is of a thread constructed weave of nylon and it is of a gauge and weave to be fiexible enough to conform to the contour of the hair style yet be just rigid or stiff enough to be self supporting in two (2) to four (4) inch widths. Net band 22 thus readily conforms to the more delicately hair styles wherein, for example, the hair is teased to make up a wide variety of and lightly supported Waves, fiips and fiuffs and yet is sufficiently substantial to effectively hold the pair.

By the same token overall net enclosures are not generally satisfactory for several reasons. One, they are not effective in providing basic support for the lower portion of the hair and upon which the upper more delicately situated portions rest. Second, as they are initially spread with the hands while placing them on the head one usually musses the hair in the process.

Net band 22 typically extends above band 10 two (2) to four (4) inches and is fastened, as by glueing, to one side, inner side as worn, of band 10 near the top edge of band 10. Other methods of attaching band 22 are by stitching the netting to the plastic foam of band 10 or by attaching it with an elastic adhesive tape, as, for example, with a thin synthetic foam type elastic tape which is thus homogeneous, or nearly so, with the foam material of band 10.

Protector 11 is held on the head by means of narrow extending end regions 24 and 25 of band 10, end region 24 being formed of the region left by removal of cut-out portions 12 and 18 and end region 25 being formed of the region left by the removal of cut-out portions 14 and 20. The mating faces of the end regions 24 and 26 are equipped with interengaging surfaces 28 and 30 of Velcro tabs, well known commercially available fasteners wherein one engaging surface includes a multiplicity of small outwardly projecting loops of thin filamentary material and the other engaging surface is provided with a multiplicity of curly or crinkled filamentary members interengageable with the loops of the first surface when the surfaces are juxtaposed. The Velcro surfaces are supplied on thin cloth material strips 32 and 34 which in d turn are glued or otherwise affixed to end regions 24 and 26.

To accomplish fastening, the Velcro surfaces are simply pushed together. To unfasten them they are pulled apart. By varying the relative position at which the surfaces are joined, band 19 may be adjusted in place with just the right degree of tension to hold it in place until intentionally unfastened. This adjustment also necessarily adjusts the frontal portion of the hair style free from compression from the protector as the protector is shown in FIGURE 4.

In summary the present invention provides what is believed to be the most effective and comfortable coiffure protector ever devised and the tremendous acceptance by the beauty trade bears this out. This success appears to have followed from the fact that the protector of this invention solves for the first time in a new and practical device the different requirements which the inven-tor has discovered are so necessary for a satisfactory product for modern use. To enumerate several of them, one, the protector of this invention provides a light but substantial support for holding the protector on the head and for supporting the lower portion of a hairdo wherein a relatively substantial support is necessary; two, this basic support is provided by a porous material which breathes, to provide comfort permitting extended usage of the device; three, the protector combines with the basic lower support a different upper support constructed of light, soft, but self supporting, net or open weave material and it is adapted to support the more delicately upper hair designs, in turn supported by the lower support member; and four, both the lower and upper supports leave the front portions of the hairdo free of any direct support to prevent any disturbing contact on the front hair or bangs. Actually, by virtue of the almost ideal support which is provided in the back and on the sides by the different degrees of upper and lower support, the front is substantially supported without direct contact. In this way the most important region, the front can be efficiently maintained without any disturbing effect.

Some modifications and changes from the specific form of the hairdo or coiffure protector disclosed herein will occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, all such modifications and changes which do not depart from the spirit of the invention are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A coiffure protector for encirclement around the front, sides and back of a persons head to maintain a hair style in place comprising: l

(A) A basic support member including:

(1) an elongated lowei band member for fitting around said head for supporting said protector on said head and for providing lateral retaining support to the back and sides of the lower portion of said hair style to maintain said lower portion of said hair style in place without applying compression to a lower portion of the front portion of said hair style,

(a) said lower band member having an end region at one end and another end region at its other end, said end `regions being of reduced width compared to the width of the portion of said lower band member between said end regions to prevent compression of a lower portion of the front portion of said hair style and said end regions being of a configuration defined by the removal at each said end of an area of the upper portion of said lower band member,

(b) the portion of said lower band member extending between said end regions being constructed of a porous elastic material to provide retaining support to the lower portions of the back and sides of said hair style,

(c) said end regions including fastening means for adjustably fastening said end regions together to provide a variable dimension of head encirclement by said protector and a variable width opening for said front portion of said hair style to minimize cornpression of said front portion of said hair style by said lower band member, and

(B) a secondary support member including:

(1) an elongated flexible self-supporting upper band member having a predetermined Width dimension for providing lateral, non-compressive, retaining support to the back and sides of the upper portion of said hair style,

(a) a lower portion of said upper band member being secured to the upper edge of said lower band at the portion of the lower band dened between said end regions to prevent compression of the upper portion of the front portion of said hair style,

(b) said upper band member also dening a non-compressive, open-top, hair-retaining enclosure for receiving the top portion of said hair style, and (c) said upper band member being substantially thinner in cross sectional dimension than said lower band member and being constructed of soft, exible, but self-supporting, open weave material. 2. A coiffure protector as set forth in claim 1 wherein l() said lower band is of a plastic foam construction of a density of 1.1 to 1.6 pounds per square foot.

3. A coiffure protector as set forth in claim 1 wherein said open weave material of said upper band material is a net type material.

15 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,504,100 8/1924 Danubio 2-174 2,700,977 2/ 1955 Neerup 132-46 20 3,235,882 2/1966 Coleman 2 LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner. G. E. MCNEILL, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A COIFFURE PROTECTOR FOR ENCIRCLEMENT AROUND THE FRONT, SIDES AND BACK OF A PERSON''S HEAD TO MAINTAIN A HAIR STYLE IN PLACE COMPRISING: (A) A BASIC SUPPORT MEMBER INCLUDING: (1) AN ELONGATED LOWER BAND MEMBER FOR FITTING AROUND SAID HEAD FOR SUPPORTING SAID PROTECTOR ON SAID HEAD AND FOR PROVIDING LATERAL RETAINING SUPPORT TO THE BACK AND SIDES OF THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID HAIR STYLE TO MAINTAIN SAID LOWER PORTION OF SAID HAIR STYLE IN PLACE WITHOUT APPLYING COMPRESSION TO A LOWER PORTION OF THE FRONT PORTION OF SAID HAIR STYLE, (A) SAID LOWER BAND MEMBER HAVING AN END REGION AT ONE END AND ANOTHER END REGION AT ITS OTHER END, SAID END REGIONS BEING OF REDUCED WIDTH COMPARED TO THE WIDTH OF THE PORTION OF SAID LOWER BAND MEMBER BETWEEN SAID END REGIONS TO PREVENT COMPRESSION OF A LOWER PORTION OF THE FRONT PORTION OF SAID HAIR STYLE AND SAID END REGIONS BEING OF A CONFIGURATION DEFINED BY THE REMOVAL AT EACH SAID END OF AN AREA OF THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID LOWER BAND MEMBER, (B) THE PORTION OF SAID LOWER BAND MEMBER EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID END REGIONS BEING CONSTRUCTED OF A POROUS ELASTIC MATERIAL TO PROVIDE RETAINING SUPPORT TO THE LOWER PORTIONS OF THE BACK AND SIDES OF SAID HAIR STYLE, (C) SAID END REGIONS INCLUDING FASTENING MEANS FOR ADJUSTABLY FASTENING SAID END REGIONS TOGETHER TO PROVIDE A VARIABLE DIMENSION OF HEAD ENCIRCLEMENT BY SAID PROTECTOR AND A VARIABLE WIDTH OPENING FOR SAID FRONT PORTION OF SAID HAIR STYLE TO MINIMIZE COMPRESSION OF SAID FRONT PORTION OF SAID HAIR STYLE BY SAID LOWER BAND MEMBER, AND (B) A SECONDARY SUPPORT MEMBER INCLUDING: (1) AN ELONGATED FLEXIBLE SELF-SUPPORTING UPPER BAND MEMBER HAVING A PREDETERMINED WIDTH DIMENSION FOR PROVIDING LATERAL, NON-COMPRESSIVE, RETAINING SUPPORT TO THE BACK AND SIDES OF THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID HAIR STYLE, (A) A LOWER PORTION OF SAID UPPER BAND MEMBER BEING SECURED TO THE UPPER EDGE OF SAID LOWER BAND AT THE PORTION OF THE LOWER BAND DEFINED BETWEEN SAID END REGIONS TO PREVENT COMPRESSION OF THE UPPER PORTION OF THE FRONT PORTION OF SAID HAIR-STYLE, (B) SAID UPPER BAND MEMBER ALSO DEFINING A NON-COMPRESSIVE, OPEN-TOP, HAIR-RETAINING ENCLOSURE FOR RECEIVING THE TOP PORTION OF SAID HAIR STYLE, AND (C) SAID UPPER BAND MEMBER BEING SUBSTANTIALLY THINNER IN CROSS SECTIONAL DIMENSION THAN SAID LOWER BAND MEMBER AND BEING CONSTRUCTED OF SOFT, FLEXIBLE, BUT SELF-SUPPORTING, OPEN WEAVE MATERIAL. 